# New Faces

New Faces is a British television talent show that aired in the 1970s and 1980s. It has been hosted by Leslie Crowther, Derek Hobson and Marti Caine. It was produced for the ITV network by ATV, and later by Central.

## Original series: 1973–1978

The show first aired as a pilot on the ATV network on 31 May 1973 with host Leslie Crowther and a judging panel consisting of Noele Gordon, Tony Hatch, Clive James and John Smith assessing performances from ten acts looking for a break in show business. Welsh singer Jennifer Jones won the show that also featured a man who blew up a hot water bottle until it burst followed by a few choruses of "Spanish Eyes".
A further pilot aired on 7 July 1973 with new host Derek Hobson and a full series followed from 29 September 1973 to 2 April 1978. It was recorded at the ATV Centre in Birmingham. The show's theme tune, "You're a Star!", was performed by singer Carl Wayne, formerly of The Move, and it was eventually released, becoming a minor hit.
Winners went on to have careers in television entertainment, such as Lenny Henry. Many top entertainers began their careers with a performance on this programme. The acts were evaluated by a panel of experts, including Tony Hatch, Mickie Most, Clifford Davis, Arthur Askey, Ted Ray, Ed Stewart, Jack Parnell, Alan A. Freeman, Muriel Young, Lonnie Donegan, Lionel Blair, Ingrid Pitt, Shaw Taylor, Terry Wogan and Noel Edmonds.
Four judges would make up the panel each week. Contestants received marks out of ten from the four judges in three categories such as "presentation", "content" and "star quality" – The "star quality" category was later replaced by "entertainment value". The highest score any act could attain was thus 120 points. Patti Boulaye was the only act who ever attained the maximum mark, doing so in the programme's final season. Les Dennis received 119 points, with only Tony Hatch giving him less than a perfect '10' for Presentation. Arthur Askey was on the same panel and started singing "Tony is a spoilsport" when Hatch awarded Dennis 9 as his final score.

### Series 1–6 Winners

| Series | Date | Artist(s) | Act |
| Pilot | 7 July 1973 | Trevor Chance | Vocalist (in the style of Jack Jones) |
| 1 | 29 December 1973 | Tom Waite | Vocalist |
| 2 | 6 July 1974 | Aiden J. Harvey | Impressionist |
| 3 | 27 July 1975 | Marti Caine | Comedian |
| 4 | 31 July 1976 | Roger de Courcey | Ventriloquist |
| 5 | 2 April 1977 | Koffee 'n' Kreme | Vocal duo |
| 6 | 2 April 1978 | Patti Boulaye | Vocalist |

### Series One Final (1973)

| Key | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
| Order | Score | Artist(s) | Act |
| 1 | 257 | Tom Waite | Vocalist |
| 2 | 250 | Showaddywaddy | Eight-piece group |
| 3 | 233 | Jackie Carlton | Comedian |
| 4 | 217 | Jean De Both | Vocalist |
| 5 | 215 | John D. Bryant | Guitar/vocalist |
| 6 | 213 | Charlie James | Female vocalist |
| 7 | 205 | Ricki Disoni | Vocalist |
| 8 | 203 | Yakity Yak | Four-piece group |
| 9 | 185 | Anthony Waters | Actor/vocalist |
| 10 | 184 | George Huxley's Dixieland Jazz Band | six-piece jazz band |
| 11 | 176 | Dri Jinja | Folk trio |
| 12 | 171 | Elaine Simmons | Vocalist |
| 13 | 143 | Trotto | Folk trio |

### Series Two Final (1974)

| Key | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
| Order | Score | Artist(s) | Act |
| 1 | 396 | Aiden J. Harvey | Impressionist |
| 2 | 353 | Nicky Martyn | Comedian |
| 3 | 337 | Michelle Fisher | Vocalist |
| 4 | 333 | Art Nouveau | Group |
| 5= | 327 | Susan Cope | Vocal / Piano |
| 5= | 327 | Jeffrey Hooper | Vocalist |
| 7 | 322 | Johnny Carroll | Comedian |
| 8 | 312 | The Cosmopolitans | Vocal Trio |
| 9 | 306 | Sweet Sensation | Group |
| 10 | 301 | Nicola Christie | Vocalist |
| 11 | 300 | Tony Gerrard | Comedian |
| 12 | 234 | Jimmy Lister | Comedian / Impressionist |

### Series Three Final (1975)

| Key | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
| Order | Score | Artist(s) | Act |
| 1 | 539 | Marti Caine | Comedian |
| 2 | 538 | Al Dean | Comedian |
| 3 | 528 | Ofanchi | six-piece group |
| 4 | 478 | Lenny Henry | Impressionist |
| 5 | 475 | Mike Felix | Comedy/vocalist |
| 6 | 472 | Tony Maiden | Impressionist |
| 7 | 441 | 20th Century Steel Sound | Nine-piece group |
| 8 | 431 | Toby | Six-piece group |

### Series Five Final (1977)

| Key | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
| Order | Score | Artist(s) | Act |
| 1 | 369 | Koffee 'n' Kreme | Vocal Duo |
| 2 | 363 | Bryan Taylor | Vocalist |
| 3 | 341 | Simone | Vocalist |
| 4 | 338 | Kite | Three-piece group |
| 5= | 337 | Mike 'Stand' Douglas | Comedian |
| 5= | 337 | The Bob Clarke Ensemble | Jazz trio |
| 7 | 333 | Peter Collins with Style | Group |
| 8 | 319 | Mr Carline & Mr Walling | Comedy duo |

### Series Six Final (1978)

| Key | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
| Order | Score | Artist(s) | Act |
| 1 | 565 | Patti Boulaye | Vocalist |
| 2 | 554 | Stella Starr | Vocalist |
| 3 | 543 | Kirk St. James | Vocalist |
| 4 | 534 | Pat O'Hare | Vocalist |
| 5 | 530 | Civvy Street | Five-piece group |
| 6 | 524 | Mike Johnson | Jazz guitarist |
| 7 | 522 | Alan J. Bartley | Comedian |
| 8 | 509 | Poacher | Six-piece country group |
| 9 | 498 | Bazz Harris | Comedian |

## Revived version

The series was revived by Central for three series between 1986 and 1988, presented by past winner Marti Caine. Her catchphrase was bellowed at the voting studio audience: "Press your buttons... NOW!". The show also featured a panel of experts including the journalist Nina Myskow, who often made critical comments. In this incarnation, the home audience decided who won by sending in postcards (phone voting was soon introduced by BBC rival Bob Says Opportunity Knocks), though, the audience did vote for its favourite act using a gigantic lightboard known as Spaghetti Junction lighting up to a varying degree as they pushed their buttons.

### 1986 final

| Key | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
| Order | Finished | Artist(s) | Act |
| 1 | 1st overall in panellists' vote | Duggie Small | Comedian |
| 2 | 7 points | Walker & Cadman | Comedians |
| 3 | 5 points | Billy Pearce | Comedian |
| 4 | 0 points | Wayne Denton | Club singer |
| 5 | 22 points | Julie A. Scott | Soprano |
| 6 | 56 points (public phone-in winner) | Gary Lovini | 17-year-old violinist |
| 7 | 43 points | James Stone | Soul singer |
| 8 | | Pauline Hannah | Impressionist |
| 9 | | Freddy Philips | Singer/comedian |
| 10 | | Scott Randele | |
| 11 | | Maggie Dee | |
| 12 | | High Jinks | |
Note: The James Stone who appeared in this final is the same one who appeared in the Britain's Got Talent semi-finals of 2008.

### 1987 final

| Key | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
| Order | Finished | Artist(s) | Act(s) |
| 1 | 94 points | Jimmy Tamley | Ventriloquist |
| 2 | 92 points | Joe Pasquale | Comedian |
| 3 | 70 points | Brothers Demented | |
| 4 | 32 points | Mike Sterling | Musical theatre-style singer |
| 5 | 26 points | Richard Courtice | Tenor vocalist |
| 6 | 10 points | Billy Jones | Rock 'n' roll singer/guitarist |
| 7 | | Lea Cassell | Impressionist |
| 8 | | Derek Barron | Pianist/organist |
| 9 | | Paul Duffy | Saxophonist |
| 10 | | Denny Waters | Comedian |
| 11 | | Barbara Allan | Vocalist |
| 12 | | Stiles and Drewe | Singing duo |

### 1988 final

The 1988 final took place at the Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre on Saturday 3 December 1988 and was hosted by the 1975 winner Marti Caine.
| Key | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
| Performance Order | Finished | Artist(s) | Act(s) |
| 12 | 118 points | Stephen Lee Garden | Musical theatre-style singer |
| 11 | 102 points | Steve Womack | Comedian |
| 9 | 80 points | Donimo | Comedy Mime |
| 2 | 54 points | Stevie Riks | Impressionist |
| 4 | 6 points | Tim Murray | Vocalist |
| 1 | | Max Bacon | Vocalist |
| 3 | | The Mad Hatters | Comedy Group |
| 5 | | Steve Tandy | Comedian |
| 6 | | Janice Watson | Soprano Vocalist |
| 7 | | The Brothers Condo | Comedy Group |
| 8 | | T.J. King | Vocalist |
| 10 | | Louisa Shaw | Vocalist |
Note: Vocalist Tim Murray is the son of 1950s singer Ruby Murray.

## Other winners and contestants

* Penny Black – Extremely popular female fronted five piece band from Walsall. Appeared 4 December 1976 opening the show performing Kiki Dee's "I Got the Music in Me". Penny Black's TV lineup included Tiki Jones (vocals), Barry Underhill (Bass guitar & vocals), Rob Wood (Lead guitar & vocals), Roger Hayward (Hammond organ & vocals), and John Perkins (Drums). An EP was recorded to coincide with the New Faces TV appearance however it was never released. Penny Black performed with various personnel changes with Underhill an ever present from 1974 until 1989 when they changed their name to PARIS and introduced a revamped modern 'romantics' image initiated by their latest female vocalist, Paula Tuckley. Penny Black/PARIS performed around the UK heavily throughout the 70's & 80's establishing a strong fan base. They recorded 'Inside These 4 Walls' written by Underhill/Wood in 1981, with 'Teenager in Love' on the B-side, before disbanding in late 1991, however, Underhill & Wood continued as a duo until 1999. PARIS reformed in July 2012 with the original band members to perform a 'One Night Only' Charity gig in November that year, however the gig was so successful they decided to carry on performing, until Underhill left the band in early 2014 and PARIS finally disbanded shortly afterwards.
* The comedy character John Shuttleworth is managed by "Ken Worthington", a fictional Clarinet player and fictional New Faces runner-up. Worthington's voice is provided by actor Graham Fellows.

## Transmissions
### ATV

| Series | Start date | Final date | Episodes |
| Pilots | 31 May 1973 | 7 July 1973 | 2 |
| 1 | 29 September 1973 | 29 December 1973 | 14 |
| 2 | 6 April 1974 | 6 July 1974 | 13 |
| 3 | 21 September 1974 | 27 July 1975 | 44 |
| 4 | 20 December 1975 | 31 July 1976 | 33 |
| 5 | 11 September 1976 | 2 April 1977 | 30 |
| 6 | 10 September 1977 | 2 April 1978 | 30 |
Series 3 was not fully broadcast on Scottish Television, with episodes not being broadcast during the weekends, which resulted in their votes not being counted. Episodes were instead broadcast on a Thursday evening between December 1974 and July 1975.

### Central

| Series | Start date | Final date | Episodes |
| 1 | 19 September 1986 | 13 December 1986 | 13 |
| 2 | 4 September 1987 | 28 November 1987 | 13 |
| 3 | 10 September 1988 | 3 December 1988 | 13 |